Procedure is a result of looking at a medical problem through the eyes of an engineer.

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 16, 2014 — (PRNewswire) — After watching his father die from heart valve disease, a mechanical engineer used his expertise in fluid dynamics to develop a first-of-its-kind procedure to replace leaking or regurgitating heart valves without touching the heart.

"The human body is merely a glorified mechanical device," said Bret Park, inventor of the One-Way Heart Assist Valve. "My background in turbomachinery and the study of fluid movement gave me a unique perspective into the workings of the cardiovascular system."

The One-Way Heart Assist Valve technology involves installing a new valve without cutting or tampering with the heart itself. This is accomplished by placing the one-way valve in a vein or artery upstream or downstream from the heart.

"This procedure allows the native heart to regain healthy pumping efficiency," Park said. "Although my invention came too late for my dad, I believe it will save millions of others from suffering the same fate."

Approximately 23 million people worldwide are afflicted with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and over 5.8 million in the United States, according to American Heart Association and National Center for Biotechnology Information. CHF is the chronic inability of the heart to pump blood efficiently and is often caused by Heart Valve Disease (HVD).

Existing medical solutions for CHF and HVD usually involve major surgery, which cuts into the heart itself, or a heart transplant. The surgeries have serious side effects and are considered too risky for a high percentage of patients. Furthermore, only 1% of those in need of a new heart actually receive a transplant.

"Many people with HVD have no symptoms until the condition is severe," Park explained. "The One-Way Heart Assist Valve technology is the only hope for those who are very poor in health."

Park's company, Savant Holdings, LLC, estimates that the One-Way Heart Assist Valve technology could help approximately 70% of CHF and HVD patients. The invention may be an option in the following situations:

patients who are too weak for heart valve surgery

patients who need a new heart

patients who need but do not qualify for a heart transplant or die waiting

patients who desire a better option than the standard valve replacement

patients that have a less than severe condition and would otherwise postpone a valve replacement

Savant Holdings has shown that this technology works mechanically and is now trying to raise sufficient funds through the crowdfunding website Indiegogo so that animal testing can begin. The availability of funds will determine how soon this technology is approved by the FDA and available for medical use.

Bret Park is a Mechanical Engineer, Inventor/Entrepreneur, founder/CEO and chief engineer of Diesel Power Source, LLC. Bret is an expert in fluid dynamics and turbine design and holds several patents related to automotive, medical, drilling, and fluid dynamics. Bret also has an extensive background in manufacturing and a successful history of taking products from concept to market.

Bret has designed automotive technology for over 21 years and has spent the last decade designing, inventing, and conducting research and development in the turbine industry. Much of his research focuses on the natural science of fluids in motion. By integrating his expertise in fluid dynamics and turbine design with medical science, Bret was able to develop his patent pending One-Way Heart Assist Valve.